The Calm After the Storm
by vampoof94
Summary: Tom and Rachel have a quiet moment to talk after everything settled down. What should have happened after the episode ended in my opinion. Follows 2x05 Rachel x Tom


It had been a very long day for the crew of the Nathan James. Captain Tom Chandler sat down on the edge of his bed and dropped his head in his hands. It had been too long of a day, and he was just now coming to his room for a break. He wouldn't rest long. There was just too much going on, and his mind would not let his body rest. Tom let out a deep breath and ran a hand over his hair. A knock on the door made him look up.

"Come in." Tom sat up straighter before the door opened and Rachel entered. She had already stopped by earlier to tell him about her discovery, and he certainly wasn't expecting to see her again so soon after they said goodnight. Rachel smiled at him and looked like she wanted to run. "Relax doctor."

"Captain..." Rachel crossed her arms and looked towards the door before giving up and sitting on the bed beside Tom.

"What's up?"

"It's been a long day." Her gaze landed on his face. Tom nodded.

"Yeah it has." He wondered just where this visit was leading.

"I heard what happened." Rachel let her gaze fall to her hands in her lap. "You did your best Tom."

"And you did your best today as well Rachel." Something else was bothering him. "Why the visit? I know you didn't drop by again just to tell me that."

"Well...I think you should get some sleep. Especially after the day we've all had."

"I'm fine."

"When is the last time you actually got some sleep Captain Chandler?" Rachel looked up at him and watched him closely. He sighed.

"There's too much going on. I'm needed right now."

"You were relieved of your duties for a few hours."

"Who told you that?" Tom asked with one eyebrow raised. Rachel shrugged. Of course she wasn't giving away anyone.

"No one. Look I understand how it seems impossible to sleep after all the events of today, but this ship will need its' Captain at one hundred percent. If you do not get some sleep, you will not be at your best Thomas Chandler." Tom looked at Rachel with surprise. This was not what he expected her to say during this visit. "We all need you to keep on your feet. I need you to be at your best."

"What about you?" He countered.

"What about me?"

"You going to rest anytime soon?"

"Of course."

"When?" Tom asked as he turned towards her. Rachel was about to speak when he held up a finger to silence her. "When you're about to drop? Look I know how you get, so don't go being a hypocrite Rachel Scott." She sighed.

"This is quickly turning into one of our legendary arguments Captain." Rachel smiled at him. "How about we make a deal, so that there's no more fighting done today?" Tom seemed to consider it for a moment. Yes he didn't want anymore fighting today. Especially with Rachel.

"What's on your mind?" He had a vague idea of just what she had on her mind.

"We both get some sleep."

"That would be nice, but I think we both know we're both too wound up from everything that went down. Hence neither of us actually being asleep right now?" He phrased it as a question. Rachel nodded. "Should we get some things off our chests?"

"That would be wise..." Rachel closed her eyes and ran a hand over her face as images came back to her. She felt Tom place a comforting hand on her knee. "You first?"

"You would ask that..." Tom sighed. "Okay so you know about the missiles that went towards the lab already, but did you know we only hit two? Out of twenty six fired?" He clenched his free hand into a fist as he thought back to the moment. "I don't know if our actions helped at all! What if we didn't save anyone!?" Tom glared at the floor. He hadn't wanted to let Rachel know that they might not have saved anyone. He wanted her to have some hope left.

"You did all you could Tom. You tried your best, and maybe you didn't save all those people, but you saved this ship and its' entire crew today. Your actions helped us. Now I know that might not seem like a big deal, but do you know how many people were frightened?" After he shook his head, Rachel continued. "A lot more than you'd think. Most of them were scared for their friends and loved ones. I was scared too you know."

"Of what?" He questioned quietly. He knew Rachel had been with Mike through everything, so she had been safe.

"When the ship started tilting, and Mike told me it was for the torpedoes, I didn't know what to think. I knew then just how dangerous our situation had become. We're so far away from land that if our ship had gone done, we'd never make it to land in time to save anyone. I was scared I'd never see you again." Rachel smiled at him and grabbed the hand that was sitting on her knee. "Captain Tom Chandler, you really got us through the day. I know it may seem sad that we might not have saved those people, but just think of what we can do now with the information we have. We can alert the other labs now." Rachel finished talking and watched as Tom processed her words. He looked at her with a small smile.

"You're right...as usual."

"So your concerns are put to rest for now?"

"For now they are." Tom agreed. "Your turn Scott." Rachel nodded before taking a deep breath.

"As you're well aware, I had to operate on someone today who ended up dying. Now he wasn't the first patient I've had that died on me, but this was the first time I had to do it unwillingly. I really did not want to do it, but your XO made it clear that it was that or throw the man overboard. I'm glad I decided to do it because of the flash drive I found, but I feel like I didn't help at all." Rachel rubbed her temples to try and remove the horrible images coursing through her head. "Whenever I close my eyes...all I see is his face and a lot of blood. I have his blood on my hands..."

"I'm going to steal your words from earlier here, but you did what you had to do today Rachel. No one knew what was inside of him, but what if it had been a beacon? We'd all be swimming with the fish. You tried to save him. Rios told me about what you did, and Mike told me about how you didn't give up until it was clear that man was not opening his eyes ever again. You think you did nothing? Go ask this crew what they think. You found that flash drive that will help us save more lives. Rachel you just keep finding ways to save people against all odds. You lost one guy today, and hell I might have not saved anyone from that lab, but as you kindly pointed out earlier, we may not have saved anyone today, but we will be able to save more lives with what was found. We're a team. Not just the crew, but you and me Rach. We can beat all odds together. Hell I wasn't going to do anything but throw myself back into work, but here we are all because you came in here to tell me to sleep. And to return to what you said about how you care about me, if you think for one second that you don't mean anything to me you're wrong." Tom raised a hand up to cup her cheek. He saw the tears starting to build up. Rachel closed her eyes as she leaned into his shoulder. His arms wrapped around her slim frame to embrace her. "We've had a hell of a day."

"Yeah..."

"Feel any better?" Tom asked quietly while he held her. She nodded and pulled away to look at his face.

"You?"

"More than I thought possible tonight. Thank you."

"It was nothing Tom, and thank you. I came here to make you sleep, but of course you ended up helping me."

"Told you we're good together."

"We are." Rachel smiled and Tom returned it with one of his own.

"So about that sleep my doctor ordered?"

"You need to get to it Captain Chandler." She liked how he had said 'my doctor'.

"Care to join me? You know...just so I make sure you keep up with your end of the deal?" He grinned as she pretended to think about his offer.

"I do need to make sure you sleep."

"I'm sure you'll find something to wear to bed in the top left dresser drawer." Tom got up and headed to his bathroom to get ready for bed while Rachel walked over to his dresser and pulled out one of his navy t-shirts. She waited for him to exit the bathroom before walking in and changing into the shirt. She smiled to herself. This wasn't the first time Tom had asked her to join him in bed. They did this when either of them had a rough day, or the nightmares got too bad. Rachel set her clothes on the counter and walked out and over to his bed. Tom was already under the covers holding them up for her to crawl under. Rachel slipped into bed and snuggled up to Tom's chest. He pulled her closer and wrapped an arm around her waist. They were both comfortable and they could feel sleep creeping up on them. "Thank you again Rachel.

"Anytime Tom." She closed her eyes and felt herself drifting off.

"Goodnight my Doctor." Tom placed a kiss to the back of her neck. Rachel smiled in content before whispering to him.

"Goodnight my Captain."


End file.
